Waylen smoothed Rena’s hair.

He murmured, “If things don’t work out between them, we can just let Cecilia be on her own. we’re family and we’ll always be there for her.”

Rena closed her eyes.

After a brief pause, she opened her eyes and expressed her unease.

“Waylen… I can’t shake this feeling that something might happen tonight. Stay awake with me, just in case.”

Waylen paid heed to her warning.

They lay on the bed and talked intimately, sharing the private moments of a loving couple.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the house, Cecilia cradled Edwin in her arms.

Throughout the night, Cecilia remained wide awake, her anticipation of the impending childbirth keeping sleep at bay.

Her hand tenderly cradled her swelling belly, feeling the gentle movements within.

In just two weeks, their little one would come into the world, yet she hadn’t picked a name for her baby.

In the dim light of the room, Edwin’s voice broke through the silence as he murmured “daddy” in his sleep.

Cecilia touched her son’s face gently, and her heart ached for the little boy… She longed to explain everything to him, yet she could not figure out how.

A sudden sharp pain pierced her lower abdomen, causing her to gasp.

Suddenly, the sheets beneath her were damp.

Her water had broken.

In the midst of her agony, Cecilia found it difficult to utter a word. Clutching her belly, she doubled over, the pain relentless.

Edwin roused from his slumber, witnessed his mother’s distress, her forehead glistening with sweat.

Edwin realized his sister was about to be born.

He hurriedly darted out of his bed, rushing to knock urgently on the door of the neighboring room.

“Uncle Waylen, mommy is going to have a baby!” Edwin exclaimed.

Waylen, in the middle of a conversation with Rena, didn’t hesitate.

He swiftly threw off the quilt and rushed to the opposite room, preceding even a coat.

Rena urgently trailed after Waylen.

As expected, Cecilia was indeed going into labor earlier than anticipated.

Waylen swiftly grabbed a down jacket and gently draped it over Cecilia. With a calm demeanor, he turned to Rena.

“I’ll carry her downstairs. Go wake up Mom and Dad. Make sure someone stays at home to look after the children and the rest of us will take Cecilia to the hospital now.”

Rena nodded, her eyes filled with concern for her sister-in-law.

Two minutes later, the lights in the Fowler’s house flickered to life.

On the first day of the new year, the Fowlers were on the way to welcome a new member into the family.

Waylen was behind the wheel, his focus steady on the road, while Korbyn provided directions.

Rena held Cecilia in her arms. While Edwin, who had insisted on accompanying them, sat next to Rena.

Cecilia broke out in a cold sweat because of the pain.

She was sweating profusely. Clutching onto Rena’s waist, she called out Rena’s name, her voice strained, as if she were speaking in her sleep.

Rena tenderly rubbed Cecilia’s belly, offering soothing words.

“You’ll be fine as soon as you arrive at the hospital.”

Upfront, Waylen’s grip on the steering wheel was firm, his attention solely on the road.

The snowy night made the journey treacherous; every turn had to be navigated with extreme caution. Hence, he didn’t allow his attention to wander elsewhere.

He drove himself, deeply concerned for both his sister’s and the baby’s safety, unwilling to leave anything to chance.

Half an hour later, the black Bentley came to a halt at the hospital, and a team of medical staff swiftly approached, rolling a stretcher toward them. Cecilia was gently transferred onto it and rushed straight to the delivery room.

In the grip of pain, Cecilia was in a daze, her mind clouded.

In her delirium, she muttered a name that still held her heart captive.

Mark.

Waylen was taken aback.

He tenderly leaned down and kissed his sister’s forehead and whispered in a hoarse voice, “I’ll call him, Cecilia.”

“No. Don’t do that.”

Cecilia, amidst her pain, shook her head weakly.

Sweat streamed down Cecilia’s forehead, and embarrassment tinged her face. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded, “Waylen, please don’t call him.”

Waylen’s eyes were heavy.

He held his sister’s hand and nodded, “Okay. I won’t call Mark.”

The walls of the delivery room were totally white. There were also a pair of bright incandescent lamps in the ceiling above.

Cecilia was in excruciating pain.

But she bit down on her lip and looked up at the lights.

Tears streamed down the corner of her eyes, each tear reflecting the gleam of the light.

“Mark. Mark…”

She murmured the name over and over in her heart. It was not that she didn’t want to hear his voice or hear him call her name, but she was just scared.

She was afraid that if Waylen called him, the call would be answered by someone else, instead of Mark himself.

Cecilia missed him very much, and she also hated him very much.

She said to him in her mind, “Mark. I really hate you, you know.

Do you know Edwin has been missing you?

Do you have any idea how happy I was when I came to you and waited for you to accompany me to my antenatal appointment the other day?

Of course you don’t know.

You know nothing.”

Cecilia was feeling throbbing pain, making her feel so dizzy that she didn’t even have the strength to miss and hate Mark anymore. With the series of contractions she was experiencing, it was clear that the child couldn’t wait to come into the world.

Before long, a sharp cry could be heard coming from the delivery room.

This was the first day of the new year, and the Fowler family had just welcomed a new member.

Evans was born at 3:10

picked the name for his

simple building with windows

of hot cocoa

trapped in a room all year round, no matter how beautiful the scenery was, it would still be

the window, looking outside. His thin

doctor had almost given up

still alive. He had lived two months longer

him with a glass of water and medicine in

time for you to take the medicine,”

Mark seemed like he had

the snow outside. After a while, he murmured, “Today is the New Year’s Day. It must

when

said, “Yes, during this time of the year, the Evans Gardon would always be beautifully decorated, and

also her favorite food,” Mark

say in response to this. But after a moment of silence, he cautiously suggested, “How about you call Rena and ask about Cecilia and the baby? The

he began to fumble

he stopped and shook

never did. It seemed it was better if he never called

better not call

to give Cecilia too much

sad to hear this. Nevertheless, he stepped forward and handed him the glass

“Please take your medicine.

bed. I’ll buy you some pumpkin pies. You

him and swallowed them without

on the bed, and a nurse came in

she was done, Mark looked sideways at

grip on his phone got weaker

asleep nowadays. This time, he

birth to Alexis. He

had almost given

lived

glass of water and

take the medicine,” Peter

seemed like he

just stood there staring at the snow outside. After a while, he murmured, “Today

nose twitched when he

the Evans Gardon would always be beautifully decorated, and

favorite food,”

a moment of silence, he cautiously suggested, “How about you call Rena and ask about Cecilia and the baby? The baby should have been

he began to fumble in his pocket

he stopped

yesterday, he had thought about calling her, but he never did. It seemed it was better if he never called her

I better not call her,” he said to

give

hear this. Nevertheless, he stepped forward and handed him the glass of water

“Please take your medicine.

bed. I’ll buy you some pumpkin pies. You can have a

medicines from him and swallowed them

on the bed, and a nurse came in to help put on

she was done, Mark looked sideways at the

weaker and weaker until he finally

was rare for Mark to fall asleep nowadays. This time, he had a dream and it was

to Alexis. He

was much like that of

for a while and call him “Uncle Mark” when she

fact, this Cecilia in his dream was

gently stroked his face, saying, “Mark, I don’t blame you

point, Mark woke

were white, just like the

closed

he needed to have

warm in the ward, but he felt cold all over his body. He felt Life without Cecilia was

probably gone to buy the pumpkin pies

plump foreign nurse was in

wanted to return home. He missed his

Evans Gardon, the food Zoey cooked, and the apartment on Gamous Road, which was where

couldn’t change anything

never give up as

if he wouldn’t

determined to stay strong and fight his

it difficult to

to make paper planes.

up. The plane would be so fast that it would get to Czanch

he wanted to go

fingers trembled as he thought of his

back

into a snowstorm on his way, so he

pies are still warm,” he

planes Mark had been making and he pursed

planes and

some of your

actually took

more

mouth, he put down the spoon

narrowed his eyes and looked

home and have a family reunion,” he said

Angela’s Library

Peter cheerfully assured him. But he could see that Mark was

about it, Mark’s phone rang. It was a call

it was around

the caller ID. For a long

you,” Peter urged

broke into a

silly boy,” he

It was an international call, so

sounded a

said, “Cecilia gave birth to a girl. Her name

had given birth to a girl that had

trembled so violently that

Waylen said,

Mark closed his eyes.

continued, “Rena will take a flight to come see you next week. I’ll ask her to take photos of the

“Okay,” Mark said softly.

brief silence, Waylen said, “Mark, no matter what, I hope you survive and

knew that except for the emotional entanglement with Cecilia, Mark was a good

half of his

and put

never even dared to ask

had been discussed since all he’d

“What happened?” he asked.

on the edge of the bed in silence. After a while, he looked up at Peter and

happy to hear this and

said with a

first day of the new year.

nodded in agreement and began to stroke one of the paper

wanted to fly back home to see Cecilia and

Angela’s Library

glance would be

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